"Ahem. At least, that's what your age is meant to be. Though I, for one, refuse to believe it. Goddess only knows what you truly are."
Adrian wasn't focused on Charles's parting words. This wasn't the first time the members of his inner circle had bothered him on this matter, casting doubt on the nature of his existence.
He chose to ignore the jab as his mind was instead seized by the core of Charles's argument.
His entire strategy had been based on maximizing work hours against a fixed deadline. He had treated morale and the human spirit as minor, inefficient variables to be managed.
Charles's point reframed the equation entirely. Hope was not a distraction; it was a force multiplier.
Ten years, for a broken and terrified populace, was a countdown to annihilation. Ten years, for a united and motivated people, was an eternity to prepare. He saw the flaw in his cold calculations.
